Crypto Network Fees

Definition ∞ Crypto Network Fees are the charges users pay to execute transactions or interact with smart contracts on a blockchain network. These fees compensate validators or miners for their computational effort in processing and adding operations to the distributed ledger. They function as a priority mechanism for network resource allocation.
Context ∞ Volatility in crypto network fees frequently reflects network congestion, demand for block space, or changes in underlying protocol mechanisms. Elevated fees can impact the economic viability of decentralized applications and user experience, becoming a regular topic in news reporting on blockchain scalability challenges and ecosystem health.